Hit

Chapter 26

I heard the gun shots far before anyone else. They were all frantically rambling and bustling around trying to figure out what to do. They started running to the doors and I focused on the firing guns going off outside. They were still far off but soon the rest of the wolves would start to hear them. Derek pushed me back into the shadows of the stage. "Go back to the house and wait for me there, do not leave no matter what." I opened my mouth to protest, but I knew better than to start a fight with him now. I closed my mouth and took a step back lowering my head in disgrace. "Go now I can hear them coming." He shifted and his black wolf looked at me one last time before disappearing into the crowd of other transformed wolves.

Sorry Derek, but I'm not going home. I ran out of the back of the theater and as the sun's bright light struck my face I jumped forward. My bones shifted and I couldn't feel any pain this time. My brown fur covered my body as my eyes became illuminated with their blue irises. My paws hit the ground with grace and precise swiftness. My paws move one right after the other, straight to the sound of gunfire. My mind was focused and I was not going to let Derek do this alone. They had come for me and they were going to get more than they wanted.

As the sounds of growling entered my ears I knew I was close. Moon Goddess protect me from their fire so I may save the ones I love. I saw the fight seen before me and only one word could describe such a horrific scene, blood. The ground was stained in crimson disguising the ground with a lake. Red ribbons danced from warm bodies adding to the dark lake as lifeless bodies disappeared, covered in red. I couldn't see Derek, but I couldn't focus on that I had to help them.

The wolves were running straight for the hunters and were getting gunned down before they could get to them. Some wolves had gotten thru the human border and were killing swiftly before they too were eaten by the sea that was sucking up my new home. I ran past the dying wolves and the merciless assassins that I had no doubt were being led by Nick. My body blended with the neutral colors of the woods and I moved swiftly not drawing any attention to me. I came to the end of the hunters and I turned sharply, coming up behind them.

One man was the farthest back and I watched as he shot down all the wolves that made it to the front of the hunters. I bared my teeth but I still didn't make a sound, I needed all of the advantage I could get. The man's back was to me and I sprang off the ground, my teeth opening wide as they crushed down on the back of his neck. The body tensed for a brief moment and as I heard the loud snap of his back bone the body went limp and fell to the cold ground. His blood seeped from his lifeless body as it tainted the bright green grass with oozing blood. I stared at his body, his back still to me. The holes in his neck were seeping with glistening rubies that turned into rivers, leading to form a new lake. I never even saw his face and I hunted him down like an animal. I had never killed anyone before and now the cruel reality was sinking in. That's why Derek wanted me home, this was his world not mine. I looked at the wolves, how quickly they killed, how easy they moved on to the next and the next.

Then I saw the ones I wanted to protect. Octavia's teeth were wrapped around the barrel of a gun and the man and wolf fought for control. Troy pounced on the man bringing him to the ground as Octavia leapt over the two taking down the hunter aiming at Troy. Then like a flash of impulse I saw him. His large black form moving like a shadow from man to man leaving behind a trail of lifeless corpses in his wake. That was why I was fighting and even if the blood on my lips made my stomach churn I had to fight or else I would lose everything. A glistening flicker of light caught my eyes and I snapped my head towards it. A figure was hiding in the shadows a gun in his hand as he shot down the wolves. The barrel of the gun aimed towards the shadow that I called my mate. My teeth flashed, showing off their pearly whiteness as I charged the figure. I slammed my body into the figure knocking the gun from his grasp. I rolled off the ground as the man pulled out a knife with all the swiftness the wolves possessed. He steadied himself as his eyes locked on mine. I stood motionless glaring back at the intruder. This was my home and I was not going to let some delusional human take what I had just found. He lunged at, as I knew he would do. He swung his arm widely and as it missed me I countered. His arm couldn't recoil fast enough. My teeth found his throat easily and I watched as the life left his eyes. I closed my eyes wishing there was another way, but she had to protect her family.

Suddenly an overwhelming silence took over as the growling and shooting all stopped. Nick walked down the center of the hunters a black pistol in his hand. Derek stood in front of his wolves as everyone stopped to watch the two leaders. No Derek, run this isn't how to win. No one could see me from the shadows that engulfed my body. My eyes widened as the gun was raised and Derek charged head on. It was like a terrible dream where everything was agonizingly slow. I leapt into the light and ran towards the two. Derek jumped up moving in slow motion. The barrel flashed as the gun jerked back. Nick didn't even move as Derek's body fell short of him in a crumpled heap.

Tears streamed in rivers down my muzzle as I finally reached Derek. His eyes were barely opened as he glanced up at me. He was lying on his side pain clearly seen on his face like the first time that I saw him. No I cannot lose him, I will not lose him. I closed my eyes and gave one last desperate cry. Moon Goddess take the power I have and save the one I love the grips of death. Heal the wounds that bind him and the soul that aces. Deter Death and allow him to live. I tilted my head back my eyes shooting open as a blue hue took over covering the whole eye. My fur surrounded me in its bright pale blue glow. My lips parted and I released a long mournful howl that rustled the leaves in the trees and swirled around the two of us. The light generating from me grew brighter till it completely covered both Derek and I. I couldn't see him and no one else could see us. As my voice ran out the light began to fade and by the time the last note was heard the light was gone and my eye were back to their normal wolf color. Derek still lay on the ground unmoving.

Death appeared before me and stood towering over Derek. His shadowy form was invisible to all but me. Death was nothing more than a swirling mist of smoke and darkness in the shape of a man like figure. He had no face and a claw-like hand reached out, clutched in his hand was a long chain that found its way around Derek's neck. I growled planting my feet into the ground; I would not let Derek die. "If you wish to save the one you have lost a price must be paid. Life is a burden for you to take, reap the lives of your enemies and I will restore him to you." His hoarse voice was enough to send the strong scurrying into a hole, but I had too much on the line.

I swallowed everything I felt inside, I couldn't hesitate anymore. My eyes shot blue and the light danced off my fur. I turned slowly looking at the mass of hunters that lay before me. They froze as they saw me, but Nick stood in the back of the group smiling at me. The coward had traveled to the back making a wall of people between me and him. I bared my teeth and felt electricity shoot from tooth to tooth, the electric blue color causing the men to shiver. I charged the crowd biting down on any flesh my teeth wrapped around. Every gun was aimed at me and I saw glimpses of the other wolves taking them down. For every one hunter that my pack had killed I killed five. I was swift and quick my paws never once stopped moving and before I knew it my fur was stained in red and all the men were lying on the ground dead. Only one still stood and I could never enjoy what he deserved.

My eyes flashed to Death and I watched as the chain disappeared. He waved slowly as he disappeared into mist drifting up into the sky. Derek started to move slowly and when he stood our eyes met. He was safe, he was alive, and he was well. We ran to each other are bodies colliding into an embrace. I berried my face into his fur as I listened to his heart beat. Then like thunder he began to growl, snapping me from my trance. I swirled around to see that the wolves had disarmed Nick and he was sitting on his knees. Derek walked away from me and headed slowly to Nick. "What Lauren's not going to kill me as well? How you should have seen your little princess as she slaughter my men." Derek was inches from Nick now and my eyes could not bare to watch what would happen next. I heard the tearing of flesh, screams of pain, and the snapping of bones.

My eyes were still closed when I felt a muzzle nuzzle into my neck. When I opened my eyes all I could see was black fur. It was over; all of it was finally over. I looked around spotting Octavia and Troy tending to each other's wounds. We were safe now, we were all safe. I collapsed to the ground my body finally wearing off the adrenalin. I felt Derek's arms wrap around my small wolf form carrying me away from the sea of blood.